Olympic Sports

St Mary’s Shemar Boldizsar on his Olympic dreams

by Becky Thompson - 070
Shemar Boldizsar sprints to gold at the European U23 Championships. Photo courtesy of Boldizsar

Shemar Boldizsar is a 200m sprinter at St Mary’s University in Twickenham. His 2019 season was one full of personal bests that culminated in him winning the gold medal at the European U23 Championships for Great Britain in July. At just 20-years-old, Boldizsar has a bright future ahead of him in athletics.  His

“I was put on ski’s as soon as I could stand”: Laurence Willows on skiing, Olympic dream and the art of balancing academics with sports

by Laoishe MacCana - 0607

Ski Cross made it's debut on mainstream television at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. What is ski cross? It is a race, roughly one kilometre with added air jumps up to 4 metres high and steep turns side by side. It is a freestyle discipline with more than one

A Dive Towards the Future: Chiara Pellacani dreams big for Tokyo 2020

by Flavia Festa - 0317

At only 17 years old, Chiara Pellacani is already a two-time European Champion, in both springboard and platform. Yet, her career has only just begun, and she is now training to qualify for next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. When Pellacani was a child, she used to do lifesaving swimming. She took

Tainted cultures, state-sponsored doping & blurred lines: how easy is it for elite athletes to stay clean?

by Julia Cook - 0646

These days it’s hard to go more than a week without seeing exploits of a new drugs scandal within sport.  Almost five years after the revelations of state-sponsored doping in Russia came to light, the entire sporting world is still reeling from the issue, and little has been resolved. And more

Sarah Sjostrom and Chad Le Clos Lead Energy Standard to Victory

by Flavia Festa - 0191
Energy Standard celebrates the victory of the European derby in London. Photo Credit: International Swimming League

Turkey-based Energy Standard booked their place in the International Swimming League final by winning the European derby at the hometown of London Roar. The English team still managed to secure a spot in the final, despite finishing second. Energy Standard had a lead of 14 points at the end of Day

Spanish judoka Ana Perez Box on Olympic ticket: “Hard work has its rewards”

by Maitane Alana Place - 0217

Ana Perez Box has a ticket for her first Olympic Games taking place in Tokyo in 2020 but is still wary. “I see the date is near, but far away too.” she says. She can’t have a better coach than former professional judoka, Sugoi Uriarte who has gone to the Olympics himself

Rainbow Races instead of Rainbow Laces: How one rowing club are breaking down the barriers for LGBTQI+ participation in sport

by Emily Salley - 0482

On a dark and dreary Saturday in London there was an array of colour cutting through the Royal Albert Docks. You may be familiar with the Rainbow Laces campaign launched by Stonewall six years ago to encourage sportspeople to wear rainbow coloured laces to support LGBT equality in sport. But what about

Energy Standard Confident Ahead of ISL London Showdown

by Muireann Duffy - 0203

Authors: Muireann Duffy and Flavia Festa Energy Standard captain Chad Le Clos is hopeful that his team can see themselves through the ISL European derby this weekend in London. “We’re pretty confident, but we’re taking nothing for granted,” said Le Clos at the ISL’s press conference, with his team currently sitting top

International Swimming League Comes to London

by Flavia Festa - 0222
Adam Peaty, London Roar in ISL Budapest meet.

Authors: Muireann Duffy and Flavia Festa The International Swimming League arrives in London this weekend, with the Queen Elizabeth Park welcoming athletes from the four European based teams. Some of Team GB’s leading lights such as Adam Peaty, Duncan Scott, James Guy and Benjamin Proud will be in the pool, but not